Allied Health Careers | Department of Allied Health Sciences

Allied Health is an exciting and varied field with many different career paths to choose from. Six out of ten health professionals work in an allied health field and provide health services as part of the overall healthcare team. Career options span the continuum from social and behavioral sciences to medical and clinical sciences. Within those broad categories, your level of patient contact and the type of work settings can vary considerably.

General skills required across most allied health professions include:

Personal character - Are you caring, compassionate, and trustworthy? Are you able to operate in a confidential environment with a high degree of professionalism?
Excellent oral and written communication - Can you effectively communicate with patients and colleagues? Can you clearly and concisely document services and procedures?
Team Player - Can you work interprofessionally (as part of a team) to provide health services and care for patients and clients?
Adaptable - Can you adapt to new environments and changing technologies?

It's also important to recognize that many disciplines require additional post-baccalaureate education and/or education through a graduate or certificate program to obtain licensure or another credential. Others allow for direct entry into the workforce with opportunities for continuing education as your career progresses. The links and lists below are meant to assist you in exploring some of the potential health careers and/or post-baccalaureate programs available to you. They are by no means exhaustive, and the Department takes no responsibility for information contained on external sites. Please consult with your advisor to discuss your career plans and any questions you might have.

The list below represents just some of the allied health careers you might consider pursuing in addition to graduate professional programs (medical, dental, physician assistant, etc.) that our recent graduates have pursued.

Found a career path that interests you? Talk with your academic advisor!

Anesthesiologist Assistant/Anesthesia Technologist or Technician
Athletic Trainer
Audiologist
Cardiovascular Technologist or Technician
Behavioral Disorder Counselor
Cytotechnologist
Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Education (K-12 or post-secondary)
Exercise Science/Exercise Physiology
Genetic Counselor
Health Administration
Health Information Administrator/Technologist
Health Educator/Coordinator
Health Insurance industry professional
Healthcare Communications professional
Histotechnologist
Medical Laboratory Scientist or Technologist
Nuclear Medicine Technologist
Nutritionist
Occupational Safety & Health Specialist
Occupational Therapist
Orthotist
Patient Case Manager or Care Coordinator
Patient Services Coordinator
Phlebotomist/Blood Bank or Transfusion Specialist
Prosthetist
Physical Therapist/Physical Therapy Assistant
Public Health Educator
Recreational Therapist
Registered Dietitian
Research Assistant/Associate (college/university, corporate, or clinical laboratory settings)
Research & Development
Research Scientist
Respiratory Therapist
Rehabilitation Counselor
Speech Pathologist
Surgical Technologist
Surgical Neurophysiologist
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor

Gaining experience in healthcare settings and earning patient contact hours are potentially great ways to:

explore a career in a health-related profession to see if it's the right path for you
improve your competitiveness for graduate/professional health programs
earn some extra money during your academic career and/or in the summer months

You can do this through research and internship experiences, volunteer opportunities, or by earning a certificate in a health-related field that does not require a Bachelor's degree. Some of these fields include:

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
Certified Medical Assistant (CMA)
Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
- Connecticut EMS Training

Your anticipated level of patient contact will vary depending on the field you choose to pursue. The list below includes some examples of allied health fields with varying levels of patient contact:

High patient contact fields include disciplines like dietetics, health promotion, public health, physical therapy, occupational therapy, cardio-pulmonary care, physician, dentist, physician assistant
Moderate patient contact fields include radiography and sonography
Low patient contact fields include laboratory professions like medical laboratory sciences, cytogenetics, and molecular diagnostics

These are just some of the work settings in which an allied health professional may operate:

Clinical - hospitals, physicians' offices, laboratories, short- and long-term care facilities
Community - local, state, and federal agencies; community-based health organizations
Management & Supervision - health departments, hospital administration, health management organizations
Business - sales and marketing of health-related products and services
Education - teaching, directing or coordinating health programs and services, community-based health education organizations
Research - product development, pharmaceuticals, food products, cancer research
Industry - equipment development, technical representative
Consultant - physicians' offices, healthcare facilities
International - PeaceCorps, governmental and non-governmental agencies

Department of Allied Health Sciences

6/10 health professionals is in an allied health field – Find the right career for you!

What are some possible allied health fields and related professions that previous Department graduates have pursued?

How can I work in healthcare while pursuing my studies and/or gain patient contact experience?

What level of patient contact can I expect?

In what kind of settings might I work?

Where can I find some general resources to help explore health careers?

General Health Career Resources

Where can I find more information on specific allied health professions and educational programs?

Questions?